Driving Licence Conversion in Italy: Which Countries Have a Reciprocity Agreement

In a nutshell

Italy recognises a foreign driving licence without requiring you to retake any exam only if a bilateral reciprocity agreement exists with the country that issued it. If your country is on the list, you convert your licence at the Motorizzazione Civile (Italy's vehicle and driver-licensing authority) in Rome by bringing the right documents. If there is no agreement, you start from scratch — theory exam, practical exam, the whole process.

At a glance

Cost	Same as a standard conversion: roughly €80–180 if you handle it yourself
Timeline	Check the MIT list before you start — it is updated periodically
Where to verify	mit.gov.it — Motorizzazione Roma: 06 41581
Documents	Same as a standard foreign-licence conversion (see the full conversion guide)

Three situations, three different outcomes

EU or EEA licence: no conversion needed

If your licence was issued by one of the 27 EU member states, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein (the European Economic Area), or by San Marino, Vatican City, or Monaco, your licence is already valid in Italy until it expires. No conversion required.

After two years of residency in Italy you can request registration in the Italian archive: you keep your existing licence, but renewals, penalty points, and traffic violations are then handled under Italian rules.

Non-EU licence with a reciprocity agreement: conversion without exams

The countries below held a recognised agreement with Italy at the time this guide was updated. The list changes: always check the current version on the MIT website before starting any paperwork.

Europe (non-EU): Switzerland, United Kingdom (with post-Brexit caveats — see below), Albania, North Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada (by province — see below), United States (certain states only — see below), Uruguay.

Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria.

Asia: South Korea, Philippines, Japan, Israel, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Taiwan.

Oceania: Australia (certain states), New Zealand.

Licences issued by international organisations and NATO military licences fall into special categories as well.

Licence from a country without an agreement: exams required

If your country is not on the list, there is no shortcut: you need the full process — provisional licence (foglio rosa), theory test, practical test. Countries without an agreement include China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Russia, and most of sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia.

United States: it depends on the state, not the country

The Italy–USA agreement does not apply uniformly to all Americans. It works state by state: only residents whose licence was issued by a state with an active agreement can convert.

The states currently recognised by MIT (Italy's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport) are Florida and Maryland. The list used to be much longer (Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas, Virginia, and others), but several agreements have been suspended or are under review.

If your licence is from a state not on the current list, you must get an Italian licence from scratch. Before starting any procedure, call the Motorizzazione (06 41581) or check the MIT website for the latest version.

Canada: it depends on the province

Canada has separate agreements for each province. All ten main provinces — Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan — have a recognised agreement with Italy.

For the three territories (Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories), special rules apply: check with the Motorizzazione on a case-by-case basis.

Switzerland and the United Kingdom

Switzerland is not in the EU but has a longstanding agreement with Italy. A Swiss licence can be converted within one year of establishing residency, for categories A, B, C, D, and E. A certified translation is usually not required because the Swiss licence is already multilingual (Italian included) — but confirm this at the time of your application.

For the United Kingdom, the outcome depends on when the licence was issued. Licences issued before 31 December 2020 were still classified as EU licences. Those issued after Brexit fall under the bilateral reciprocity agreement and must be converted within one year of residency.

Refugees: conversion even without an agreement

If you hold refugee status or international protection, you can convert the driving licence from your country of origin even if no reciprocity agreement exists, under DM 11/01/2017. You must bring your refugee travel document (1951 Geneva Convention) and the certificate issued by the Commissione Territoriale (the local asylum committee), along with the standard conversion documents.

The Motorizzazione assesses each case individually.

How to verify your country

Before starting any procedure, check through at least one of these channels:

1. MIT website: mit.gov.it — foreign licence conversion
2. Portale dell'Automobilista: ilportaledellautomobilista.it
3. Motorizzazione Roma by phone: 06 41581 (or email ufficio.roma@mit.gov.it)
4. Your country's consulate in Rome: often has the most up-to-date information

When you enquire, specify: your country (or state/province for the USA and Canada), your licence category (A, B, C...), and the date the licence was issued.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Assuming the whole country has the same agreement. For the US and Canada, the agreement applies state by state and province by province. A California licence and a Florida licence are not treated the same way.
2. Using an outdated list. The list of agreements changes over time: Italy has added Albania, the Philippines, and Ukraine in recent years, and has revised recognition for some US states. A list from 2015 may be wrong.
3. Confusing the Vienna Convention with a reciprocity agreement. The 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic allows temporary recognition for international driving (typically one year). It does not entitle you to convert your licence.
4. Assuming a Moroccan licence cannot be converted. Morocco is on the list — conversion is entirely standard.

Special cases

Dual nationality: if you hold both Italian citizenship and citizenship of a non-EU country, what matters is which country issued your driving licence. If that country is on the list, conversion is possible.

Licence already converted in an EU country: if you previously converted your non-EU licence into the licence of an EU country while living there, you now hold a European licence. In Italy it is treated as such — no second conversion needed.

Licences from special territories: a licence issued in a French overseas territory (e.g. French Polynesia) is treated as an EU licence. A Gibraltar licence follows UK rules.

NATO military licences: separate procedures apply through the Italian military authorities, distinct from the civilian process.

Official sources

• MIT — Foreign licence conversion and bilateral agreements
• Portale dell'Automobilista — Foreign licence conversion
• Motorizzazione Civile
• MIT — Bilateral agreement documentation

Legal references: D.Lgs 285/1992 (Codice della Strada) art. 136; DPR 495/1992 art. 238; DM 25/01/2013; DM 11/01/2017; bilateral agreements between Italy and third countries.